Hip Injuries

in Hockey
Players

Hip Pointer Injury

KINE 3P80: Injury Care & Prevention

March 29th, 2017

Josh Ribeiro (#5613948) & Jordan Langille (#5653407)

Brock University
Just like other fast paced and contact sports, many injuries can occur from playing ice hockey due to its required special
combination of speed, power and agility. One of the most common areas of injuries in hockey is known to be hip
injuries, which can occur at both a recreational or professional (NHL) level. In this instance, hip pointer injuries will be
focused on hockey players, aged roughly 20 to 35, and will also be discussed in detail so that you may have a better
understanding of this common injury in terms of; what is damaged, how it happened, the signs and symptoms,
the treatment and management and the prevention methods.

Anatomical Structures Involved:

- A hip pointer injury occurs following an impact to the iliac crest, located at the top of the hip bone on either side
of the body
- Surrounding structures such as the greater trochanter (head of the femur), tensor fasciae latae (muscle surrounding
iliac crest) and lower/lateral abdominal muscles (transverse and oblique) may also be affected
- Severe hip pointers can result in heavy swelling between the gluteus muscle and the iliac crest which can put
pressure on the femoral or lateral femoral cutaneous nerves

Mechanism of Injury:

- A hip pointer can occur from a fall to the ice or into the boards, a hard hit from another player, or a hard slash
from another player where there is a direct impact on the iliac crest and the equipment is either improperly placed
or is not able to absorb enough of the impact to prevent

Signs & Symptoms:

- Pain over the iliac crest

- Tenderness
- Bruising and/or swelling
- Hematoma (solid swelling of clotted blood)  leading to severe pain
- Muscle spasms (abdominals)
- Reduced range of motion at the hip joint
- Reduced strength in the muscles around the hip
A hip pointer injury can be classified between three grades, indicating the severity of the injury:

Treatment & Management:

- First 2 to 3 days following injury:

o Ice, compression and rest to reduce or limit any pain, inflammation and swelling
o Ice or cold therapy can be applied for 10 minutes every hour initially, reducing frequency as required
o Mild stretching during icing to reduce muscle spasms
- After 2 to 3 days following injury:
o Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen after 48 hours
following injury
o Massage the affected area to loosen the muscle fibres and prevent the build-up of scar tissue
o Heat therapy
o Pain-free range-of-motion (ROM) exercises
- After pain subsides
o Resistance exercise for re-strengthening of trunk and lower extremities
o Gradual return to activity while wearing extra protection around affected area
- In the case of a hematoma and/or intense pain directly over iliac crest, a physician should be contacted to rule out
a fracture or any further complication

Prevention:

- Properly fitted padding and protective equipment can help prevent injury occurrence or recurrence
- Exercising caution and learning to more effectively brace for impact

NHL Players Recently Diagnosed with a Hip Pointer Injury

- Pavel Zacha
- Jason Spezza
- Corey Perry
- Brian Gionta
References:

Anderson, M. K., & Barnum, M. (2017). Foundations of athletic training: prevention, assessment, and management (6th
ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health.

Anderson, M. K., Strickland, M., & Warren, R. (2001). Hip and groin injuries in athletes. American Journal of Sports
Medecine, 29(4), 521-533. doi:10.1177/03635465010290042501

Iliac Crest Pain [Digital image]. Retrieved from http://kingbrand.com/Hip_Pointer_Injury.php

Severity of Hip Flexor Injury [Digital image]. (2015, July 29). Retrieved from http://gohockey.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/06/sp-06-2015-2.jpg

Sidney Crosby Stretches His Hips To Make A Play [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://finishfirsthp.com/part-1-
healthy-hockey-hips/#prettyPhoto[gallery4130]/0

Szczerbowski, T. (2013, February 16). Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Phil Kessel (81) is hit by Ottawa Senators center
Zack Smith (15) at the Air Canada Centre [Digital image]. Retrieved from http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-
content/blogs.dir/96/files/2013/02/7048936.jpg